Spring loaded dryer



Oct. 29, 1968 s. BALOGH SPRING LOADED DRYER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June7, 1965 INVENTOR STEPHEN BALOGH 0%0 0 o 0 mmw mmww ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent SPRING LOADED DRYER Stephen Balogh, Lyons, N.Y., assignorto Parker-Hannifin Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of OhioFiled June 7, 1965, Ser. No. 462,139 Claims. (Cl. 210-282) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A refrigerant dryer is provided, having a tubular bodyand a cup-shaped desiccant retainer adhered to an inner wall of the'body, with a spring retainer adhered to an opposite end of the body,having a spring engaged therewith and also engaged with the perforateddisk, for compressing desiccant particles between the retainers andurging the same toward and into the cup-shaped retainer. The particlesmay be initially compressed by inserting a disk into the body, which ismagnetically adhered to a magnetic rod, during the compacting of theparticles, with the rod being then withdrawn and a spring inserted forengagement against the disk, that end of the body then being closed.

This invention relates to dryers adapted for use in refrigeratingsystems and to the method of making the same.

An object of the invention is to provide a dryer using loose desiccantparticles and wherein the particles are compacted under spring pressureto prevent movement thereof which would otherwise produce powderingthereof.

Another object is to provide a dryer of the type described in which ascreen for retaining the desiccant particles is anchored within atubular shell inwardly and independently of the adjacent end structureof the shell.

Another object is to provide a dryer of the type described in whichthere is a screen near one end of a tubular shell for retaining thedesiccant particles and there is a retainer near the other end of theshell for retaining a spring that applies compacting pressure to thedesiccant particles, both the screen and retainer being anchored to thetube inwardly and independently of the end structure of the shell.

Another object is to provide a dryer comprising a onepiece tubular shellwith a screen for retainingdesiccant particles anchored near one endthereof, spring means at the other end of the shell for compacting thedesiccant beads, and with each end of the shell deformed for form- 'ingmeans whereby a conduit may be attached thereto.

Another object is to provide a method of making a dryer whereindesiccant retaining and compacting means are mounted within a tub-e andthe ends of the tube are then deformed for providing inlet and outletports.

Another object is to provide a method of making a dryer wherein adesiccant retaining screen is anchored within a tube near one endthereof, desiccant particles are inserted, and a bafiie plate is theninserted through the other end of the tube by means of a magneticplunger that holds the baffle plate normal to the axis of the tube whilethe baffle plate engages the desiccant particles for compacting thesame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dryer that issturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efficient in operation,and simple and inexpensive to -manufacture, assemble and utilize. Otherobjects will in part be obvious, and in part be "ice FIG. 2 is aslightly modified form of dryer construction.

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing a still further modified form of theinvention, and,

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a preferred location of a dryer ina refrigerating system.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section view showing an alternate method ofanchoring the desiccant retainer screen within the tubular shell bymeans of split spring ring.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the split spring ring of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a view showing the method of initially compacting thedesiccant particles.

With reference to FIG. 1, the dryer is generally indicated at 10 andconsists of a tubular shell 11 with reduced ends 12 and 13. The shell ispreferably made from a tube of uniform inside and outside diameter whoseends before such reduction are shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. Theend 12 comprises the inlet having a relatively large opening 14, and aninternal shoulder 15. An inlet conduit may be attached at the opening 14in any desired conventional manner. The end 13 is provided with arestricted outlet opening 16.

Spaced from outlet end 13 is an annular screen holder 17 having areverted outer fold 18 that clamps the upper edge of a cylindricalcup-shaped screen 19 having a cuplike portion 19 and a rim portion 19",that serves as a strainer and a desiccant retainer, there being arelatively large opening 20 in the base of screen holder 17. The latteris anchored in a fixed position within the bore of the tube, preferablyby press fitting, but alternatively may be soldered, expanded, orotherwise secured to the wall of the tube. Furthermore, holder 17 ispositioned a sufficient distance from end 13 to permit reducing of thelatter without contacting screen 19.

At the opposite end of the tubular shell 11 a spring retainer 22 ispress fitted within the bore of the shell. It has inwardly extending topwall 22 which is reverted downwardly as at 23 and has a relatively largeinlet opening 24. A compression spring 25 has one end in engagement withrim 23 and its other end in engagement with a cup-shaped bafiie 26, thecylindrical wall of the baffle being a close sliding fit within the boreof the tubular shell so as to maintain the bottom wall of the bafilenormal to the axis of the shell, such bottom wall having a plurality ofperf0rations 27. Positioned between the screen 119 and the baffie 27 isa desiccant material generally indicated at 28, and comprised of closelypacked particles 29, which serve to absorb water from refrigerant fluidpassing through the dryer. The desiccant particles may 'be syntheticZeolite, activated alumina, silica gel or the like, and the position ofretainer 21 is selected so that tension of the. spring is regulated topack the desiccant particles as tightly as possible without crushing.Also, spring retainer 21 is spaced a sufficient distance from the upperend of the tube, so as not to interfere with reducing of the same whenforming opening 14.

In the preferred method of making the dryer, screen 19 is first attachedto screen holder 17 by clamping the upper edge between the inner andouter folds of the holder. Holder 17, with the screen attached, is thenpress fitted within the bore of tube 11, whose ends at this time are notreduced, for anchoring the same at a location where screen 19 is spacedinwardly from the lower end of tube 11. Desiccant particles are theninserted from the upper end of the tube, followed by insertion of bafile26 and spring 25. Baifie 26, which is preferably of brass, may bepressed against the desiccant particles by a rod (not shown), the closefit of the cylindrical portion of the baffie with the inside of the tubemaintaining the bottom wall of the bafile perpendicular to the axis ofthe tube during this initial compacting of the desiccant. Springretainer 21 is then press fitted within the bore of the tube in theposition shown in FIG. 1, in which it compresses spring 25 to exert thedesired pressure upon the desiccant particles via baffle 26. The ends 12and 13 of the tube are then reduced so as to form inlet and outletopenings 14 and 16.

In variations of this method screen holder 17 with screen 19 attachedmay be pressed into tube 11 as aforesaid and lower end 13 reduced beforeinsertion of the remaining components, or lower end 13 may be reducedprior to insertion of the screen and screen holder.

In the use and operation of the device the dryer is positioned asindicated in FIG. 4 at in the line 30 for refrigerant fluid which leadsfrom the condenser 31. From the outlet 13 a line 32 extends to theexpander 33, from which a line 34 leads to the compressor 35, and thencefrom the compressor, a line 36 leads back to condenser 31. There is thusprovided a closed system, and the desiccant particles 29 serve to removewater from the refrigerant fluid. Perforated bafiie 26 stops any largeparticles of foreign matter in the refrigerant fluid from goingdownstream to the expander while screen 19, which is of fine mesh,serves to retain any particles of desiccant or small particles offoreign matter from going downstream.

FIG. 2 discloses a modified form of the dryer in which spring retainer40 is in the form of a batfle in that it has small perforations 41rather than the large opening 24 of spring retainer 22. Also baflle 43is simply a flat disk with perforations 44 and whose periphery has aclose clearance with the wall of tubular shell 10a. In this case, baflle43 may be made of magnetic steel and inserted into tube 10a by means ofa magnetic rod 46, as illustrated in FIG. 7. During such insertionbaffle 43 adheres to rod 46 by magnetic attraction and remains in aplane perpendicular to the axis of tube 10a while compacting desiccantparticles 29, thus leveling the upper surface 48 of the desiccant whichmay initially be irregular, as shown. Without such magnetic attractionbaffle 43 would have to have a cylindrical skirt, as in the case ofbafiie 26, to maintain it in the perpendicular position. After thedesiccant has been initially compacted, plunger 47 is held againstbatfle 43 to hold the latter in position and rod 46 is raised, releasingit from the baffle. Rod 46 and plunger 47 are then withdrawn.

FIG. 3 discloses a further modified form of the invention including atube 10b within which is contained desiccant 28b which is retainedbetween cup-shaped screen 1% attached to screen holder 17b and baffle43a pressed by spring 42a which butts against Spring retainer 40. Inthis modification the ends are specially adapted for systems employingmore than one inlet and outlet. Where two outlet tubes are employed forexample, the end is flattened as at 50, and centrally crimped as at 51to provide two central outlet openings 52. The opposite end or inlet endmay be similarly flattened as at 53 and crimped as at 54 in threepositions, longitudinally of the tube, to provide four separate tubularpassages 55 which may be connected to several inlets as desired.Obviously any number of inlet or outlet conduits may be provided inaccordance with the specific system with which the device is adapted tobe utilized.

FIG. 5 illustrates an optional method of anchoring a cup-shaped screen190, which corresponds to screen 19 of FIG. 1, within tubular shell 110.In this case a split spring ring 57 exerts radially outward pressure toclamp the upper rim of screen 19c against the inner wall of shell 11c.The latter may have an outwardly formed head 58 for receiving the ring57 and screen rim, although such bead 58 is not required in allinstances.

provided an improved spring loaded dryer which accomplishes all theobjects of this invention, and others, including many advantages ofgreat practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as manymodifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. The method of making a dryer com-prising inserting and anchoring aperforated retainer within a tube near one end thereof, insertingdesiccant material in the tube against said retainer, inserting aperforated baflie of magnetic material into the other end of the tubeand pressing it against the desiccant material by means of a magnetizedrod to which said baflie is magnetically adhered, separating the rodfrom the baflie and withdrawing the rod from the tube while the baffleremains in place against the desiccant material, inserting a springmeans against the baffle, and providing an inlet port at said other endof the tube.

2. The method of making a dryer comprising inserting and anchoring aperforated desiccant retainer within a tube inwardly of the end thereof,inserting desiccant material into the tube against said retainer,inserting a disk against the desiccant material and compacting thelatter with said disk, said disk being magnetically adhered to a rod,releasing the rod from the disk and withdrawing the rod from the tube,inserting a spring against the disk, inserting and anchoring a springretainer in the tube in a position compressing the spring whereby thedisk exerts compacting presure upon the desiccant material, anddeforming both ends of the tube radially inwardly to form portscommunicating with the interior of the tube.

3. A dryer comprising a tubular shell having a cylindrical body betweena pair of ports for fluid flow, a cupshaped desiccant retainer fixed tothe shell bore near one end thereof, said retainer having a cylindricalperforated wall spaced from said bore and having a closed end facingsaid one end of the shell, a spring retainer fixed to the shell near theother end thereof, a movable perforated bafile spaced inwardly of thespring retainer, loose desiccant particles in the shell between saidbaffle and said cup-shaped retainer and filling the latter, and a springbetween the spring retainer and baflie and forcing the batfle againstthe desiccant particles to compact the same.

4. The dryer of claim 3 in which said spring is coil shaped and has adiameter substantially that of the bore whereby subtantially all fluidpassing through said shell passes into the spring at one end thereof andpasses out of the spring at the other end thereof.

5. The dryer of claim 3 in which said cup-shaped retainer has a rigidrim at the open end thereof press-fitted to the shell, said cylindricalwall of the cup-shaped retainer extending a substantial distance fromsaid rim toward said one end of the shell to provide substantial flowarea through said cylindrical wall for said fluid.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,666,529 1/1954 Landwier 210-3522,686,596 8/1954 Storms 210446 X 3,175,342 3/1965 Balogh 210266 X152,889 7/1874 Whitley 210-480 2,190,305 2/1940 Auberschek 2l0352 X2,283,989 5/1942 Henry 210-352 X 3,254,771 6/1966 Sicard 210-266 SAMIHN. ZAHARNA, Primary Examiner.

